Bellator 52, Season 5 Heavyweight Tournament Pre-Fight Breakdown

 Posted by at 5:12 PM  Bellator, MMA News  No Responses »
Sep 302011
 

Neil Grove (left) makes his return to the Bellator cage for a second run at the title, but first he must get past dangerous fighter Mike Hayes in tomorrow night's Bellator Season 5 Heavyweight Tournament Quarter-Finals. (Photo courtesy of Bellator)

Dropping the anchors in Lake Charles, Louisiana at the L’Auberge Du Lac Casino Resort for its returning heavyweight tournament, Bellator 52 features a fearsome bracket of knockout artists. “300″ Mike Hayes (13-4) returns to Bellator riding a two-fight win streak against South African striker “Goliath” Neil Grove (11-3) in the main event of the evening. Brazilian giant “Big Monster” Thiago Santos (4-1) makes his debut on US soil against Bulgarian import and one-time Bellator veteran Blagoi Ivanov (4-0). Mark Holata (7-2), the two-time Bellator veteran, will duke it out with the feared and respected Ron Sparks (4-0) in a bout that will likely not make it out of the first round. Titan FC poster boy Abe Wagner (10-3) meets Eric Prindle (6-1) in the opening match of the night with the winner gaining the spotlight as the rising star of the tournament. Every fighter on the slate has devastating power and the ability to end the fight at any moment, ensuring fans that they won’t want to miss a single second of this tournament.  Continue reading »

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UFC on Versus 6: Main Card Pre-Fight Breakdown

 Posted by at 9:09 AM  MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Sep 292011
 

Dominick Cruz (red trunks) will defend his UFC Bantamweight Championship for the fourth time against "Mighty Mouse" Johnson at UFC on Versus 6. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)

Saturday, October 1 the UFC returns to VS for UFC on Versus 6: Cruz vs. Johnson. Kicking things off for the card is a lightweight tilt as ”Handsome” Matt Wiman (13-6) looks to get back on track with a second win over the TUF veteran Mac Danzig (20-8-1). Next on tap are super-sized welterweight ”Rumble” Anthony Johnson (9-3) and Charlie Brenneman (14-2).  ”HD” Pat Barry (5-4) and “Skyscraper” Stefan Struve (18-5) will look to stay above .500 in the UFC in a heavyweight co-headliner and then the main event pits current seemingly unstoppable UFC  Bantamweight Champion “The Dominator” Dominick Cruz (17-1) against the red hot ”Mighty Mouse” Demetrious Johnson (12-1). The card has everything the fans have come to expect from the UFC and should be a stellar night of unarmed combat. Continue reading »

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MMA Gospel Technique of the Week: Defending the Shoot with an Inverted Necktie

 Posted by at 2:44 PM  MMA News, Technique of the Week  No Responses »
Sep 282011
 

Ed Perdomo and Adam Valencia have chosen to end the current arc of MMA Gospel’s Technique of the Week with a very advanced submission. This time, when Ed defends the shoot, he will attack with a modified version of “Peruvian Savage” Tony DeSouza’s (10-4) masterpiece, the Peruvian Necktie. The choke was designed specifically for the purpose of defending against a classic double-leg shoot and is a perfect weapon to use against overly aggressive wrestlers who are always hunting for that big slam. This modified version is a little easier for stocky fighters to pull off and is also a great alternative if the opponent defends the Peruvian Necktie.   Continue reading »

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Spilled Bag of Fights: Don’t Cry!

 Posted by at 3:56 PM  Spilled Bag of Fights  2 Responses »
Sep 272011
 

Some people watch The Ultimate Fighter purely for the fights and don’t like the reality TV element. These people tend to be party-pooping wet blankets who think that they’re too good for a little mindless voyeuristic entertainment. Either way, the stuffy “purists” were treated to almost two hours of nothing but fights on the Season 14 premiere of TUF on Wednesday.  The fights were pretty solid – as to be expected from bantamweight and featherweight fighters. Continue reading »

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UFC 135: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

 Posted by at 8:35 PM  MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Sep 252011
 

Jon Jones (red trunks) proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is far more than "just hype" with his destruction of "Rampage" Jackson at UFC 135. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)

The UFC delivered again in a big way Saturday night with UFC 135 in the Mile-High City of Denver, Colorado. Leading into an ultra-hyped main event Light Heavyweight Championship bout between the Jackson Submission Fighting wonder kin “Bones” Jon Jones (14-1) and the former champion, PRIDE superstar “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (31-9), was a night that included some of PRIDE’s biggest names, the UFC’s newest talents, and The Ultimate Fighter’s best products as well as the appearance of a Hall of Famer. In the co-main, “Kos” Josh Koscheck (16-5) likely put an end to the career of former welterweight king Matt Hughes (43-9). Prior to the headlining fights, “Super Samoan” Mark Hunt (7-7) broke even and showed late career growth at the expense of IFL stalwart “Big” Ben Rothwell (27-8), “Hapa” Travis Browne (9-0-1) achieved victory but little else against Rob Broughton (13-5-1), and Nate Diaz (13-8) picked up where his brother left off in a first-round submission win over former PRIDE champ “The Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi (29-9). While every fight has a winner and a loser, not every loser truly loses and not every winner makes headway with the “W” and for the post-fight analysis, MMA Gospel has The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. Continue reading »

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Bellator 51: The Aftermath

 Posted by at 5:31 PM  Bellator, MMA News  No Responses »
Sep 252011
 

Bellator 51's main event saw Alexis Vila (top) pull off the upset by knocking out Bellator Featherweight Champion Joe Warren (bottom) in the opening round. (Photo courtesy of Bellator)

The Bellator Season 5 Bantamweight Tournament started off with a big bang at the Canton Civic Center in Ohio, with two solid knockouts and two hard fought bouts that saw the judges’ scorecards. Nonetheless it was the fans who were treated to yet another group of solid performances from Bellator’s ever growing talent pool. Bellator Featherweight Champion Joe Warren (7-2), in an effort to become the promotion’s first fighter to hold titles in two weight classes simultaneously, drew undefeated Alexis Vila (9-0) as his foe for the 135lbs. tournament marquis match-up. Returning Bellator veteran Wilson Reis (12-4) took on Shooto Brazil vet Eduardo Dantas (6-2) in the co-main event in a veteran versus rising star affair. Former WEC champion “The Rage” Chase Beebe (18-6) and “Loro” Marcos Galvao (10-5) returned to the cage for their second time under the Bellator banner. “Wild” Ed West (15-5) made his long awaited comeback to Bellator against Brazilian’s Luis Nogueira (11-2) in the opening bout of tournament. Here’s how the main card played out. Continue reading »

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Bellator 51 Prelims Live Stream

 Posted by at 6:04 PM  Bellator  No Responses »
Sep 242011
 

(Video stream courtesy of Spike.com and Bellator)
 

Bellator Prelims Live Stream
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UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage Live Results, Bonuses

 Posted by at 5:21 PM  MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Sep 242011
 

UFC Light Heavyweight Champion "Bones" Jon Jones (left) successfully made his first title defense at UFC 135, submitting PRIDE superstar "Rampage" Quinton Jackson (right) via Rear Naked Choke in the fourth round. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)

—MAIN CARD (on Pay-Per-View)—

Jon Jones vs. Quinton Jackson: Jones via Submission (Rear Naked Choke), Round 4, 1:14

Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck: Koscheck via KO (Strikes), Round 1, 4:59

Ben Rothwell vs. Mark Hunt: Hunt via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-27, 30-27), Round 3, 5:00

Travis Browne vs. Rob Broughton: Browne via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27), Round 3, 5:00

Nate Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi: Diaz via Submission (Armbar), Round 1, 4:27

Continue reading »

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Bellator 51, Season 5 Bantamweight Tournament Live Results

 Posted by at 5:09 PM  Bellator, MMA News  No Responses »
Sep 242011
 

(Photo courtesy of Bellator)

—MAIN CARD (on MTV2)—

Season 5 Bantamweight Tournament Quarter-Final Fight
Joe Warren vs. Alexis Vila: Vila via KO (Punch), Round 1, 1:04

Season 5 Bantamweight Tournament Quarter-Final Fight
Wilson Reis vs. Eduardo Dantas: Dantas via KO (Flying Knee), Round 2, 1:02

Season 5 Bantamweight Tournament Quarter-Final Fight
Chase Beebe vs. Marcos Galvao: Galvao via Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29), Round 3, 5:00

Season 5 Bantamweight Tournament Quarter-Final Fight
Ed West vs. Luis Nogueira: West via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28), Round 3, 5:00

Continue reading »

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Finding the Underdog: Jon Jones vs. “Rampage” Jackson

 Posted by at 8:15 AM  MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Sep 242011
 

Jon Jones (red trunks) has distinct advantages in almost every area of the fight game over "Rampage" Jackson, but he still has to respect Quinton's power. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)

Tonight at UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage, UFC Light Heavyweight champion “Bones” Jon Jones (13-1) will face off against veteran knockout artist “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (31-8) in the main event.  There is only one guarantee in this fight and it is that it will most certainly not go the five rounds typically allotted for a championship fight.  Jones will be looking to defend his belt for the first time in his short reign as champion while Jackson on the other hand will be looking to return to relevance and dominance in the division by reclaiming his title first in his bout with Jones, then his pride in the upcoming face-off with challenger “Sugar” Rashad Evans (16-1-1). Continue reading »

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MMA Gospel Staff Makes UFC 135 Main Card Predictions

 Posted by at 10:41 PM  UFC  No Responses »
Sep 232011
 
(Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)

Is UFC Light Heavyweight Champion “Bones” Jon Jones (13-1) truly the messiah of a new era of elite fighters being ushered into the realm of professional mixed martial arts? Tomorrow night that very question may be answered as the 24-year-old Jones makes his first title defense by squaring off with a very determined and heavy-handed former UFC champion in “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (31-8), also of PRIDE fame. In the co-main event, The Ultimate Fighter alum and American Kickboxing Academy stand-out “Kos” Josh Koscheck (15-5) steps in as a late replacement for an injured “The Dream” Diego Sanchez (23-4) to face UFC Hall of Famer and two-time former UFC Welterweight Champion Matt Hughes (43-8). “Big” Ben Rothwell (27-7) will collide with K-1 veteran “Super Samoan” Mark Hunt (6-7) in a heavyweight tilt following Cesar Gracie protégé Nate Diaz’s (12-8) match-up with former PRIDE champion “The Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi (29-8) in the 170lbs. division. Starting off the main card action is a heavyweight clash between undefeated Hawaiian-born knockout artist “Hapa” Travis Browne (8-0-1) and Cage Rage veteran and Wolfslair MMA fighter “The Bear” Rob Broughton. While it does stand true that “Anything can happen in MMA”, the staff of MMA Gospel nonetheless has decided to take a crack at determining who may come out on top tomorrow night. Continue reading »

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UFC 135 Pre-Fight Breakdown: Jon Jones vs. Quinton Jackson

 Posted by at 9:17 PM  MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Sep 232011
 

Jon Jones (red trunks) is seen by many as the herald of a new era of elite MMA fighters to come, but they say to be a true champion one must first defend the belt and that is exactly what Jones aims to do Saturday. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)

The UFC will make its third appearance in seven days on Saturday when UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage storms the Pepsi Center in the UFC’s birthplace of Denver, Colorado. Opening the main card are two heavyweight hopefuls “Hapa” Travis Browne (8-0-1) and Rob Broughton (13-4-1). Next on the slate is a pair of bouts between fighters staring gloomily at Dana White’s extra sharp career-severing axe as “The Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi (29-8) 1-2 squares off with Nate Diaz (12-8) and Mark Hunt (6-7) takes on “Big” Ben Rothwell (27-7). Playing co-main event is a welterweight war between prolific wrestlers “Kos” Josh Koscheck (15-5) and Matt Hughes (43-8). Finally, the main event features the smack talk fueled old guard vs. new blood title fight between seemingly unstoppable incumbent champion “Bones” Jon Jones (13-1) and the outspoken former champ and PRIDE superstar “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (31-8). Jackson may have had a mercurial relationship with the sport as a whole but one thing he has never changed his tune about is that he wants his UFC light heavyweight belt back. In his way is Jon Jones, a young, talented, natural warrior who hasn’t so much as broken a sweat in his domination of every fighter he has faced so far in his MMA career. Continue reading »

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Strikeforce Challengers 19 Results

 Posted by at 8:03 PM  MMA News, Strikeforce  No Responses »
Sep 232011
 

Lorenz Larkin (left) and late replacement Nick Rossborough (right) will square off in the Strikeforce Challengers 19 main event. (Photo courtesy of Strikeforce and Zuffa, LLC.)

—MAIN CARD—

Lorenz Larkin vs. Nick Rossborough: Larkin via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28), Round 3, 5:00

Lavar Johnson vs. Shawn Jordan: Jordan via Submission (Keylock), Round 2, 3:08

Ryan Couture vs. Maka Watson: Couture via Majority Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-28), Round 3, 5:00

Jason High vs. Todd Moore: High via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27), Round 3, 5:00

Brian Melancon vs. Felipe Portela: Melancon via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27), Round 3, 5:00 Continue reading »

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Bellator 51, Season 5 Bantamweight Tournament Main Card Pre-Fight Breakdown

 Posted by at 7:59 PM  Bellator, MMA News  No Responses »
Sep 232011
 

Shooto veteran Luis Nogueira (red trunks) is dominant on the mat due to his submission credentials, but will his ground game be enough to stave off the controlling wrestling of Ed West? (Photo courtesy of Keith Mills and Sherdog)

The Buckeye State of Ohio will get a heaping dosage of the explosive and fast paced bantamweight division of Bellator Fighting Championships tomorrow night as the Season 5 135lbs. Tournament goes under way. The smaller weight classes seem to never disappoint, and with the addition of the Bellator Featherweight Champion Joe Warren (7-1), who has chosen to descend the weight classes in attempt to become the first fighter in Bellator history to consecutively hold two titles, there are sure to be fireworks ahead. Warren will welcome Alexis Vila (8-0) to the Bellator cage in the main event; both competitors are becoming more bitter enemies the closer the fight gets. Returning fan favorite and former featherweight tournament contender Wilson Reis (12-3) steps in as a late replacement as he faces Shooto Brazil veteran Eduardo Dantas (5-2). Former WEC champion and submission ace “The Rage” Chase Beebe (18-5) will face the man who many felt defeated Warren in a catchweight bout earlier this year, “Loro” Marcos Galvao (9-5). Galvao is hungry to get his revenge on Warren but first he has to get past the dangerous Beebe. ”Wild” Ed West (14-5) returns to his old stomping ground against another Shooto Brazil veteran and one-time Bellator fighter “Betao” Luis Nogueira (11-1). Eight 135lb. fighters will enter the cage tomorrow night, but only four will move on to the semi-final round of the tournament. Continue reading »

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